


Pieces of me, Pieces of you

by Phoebmonster



Series: shiny motor cars and eyeglasses full of stars [7]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: AU, F/F, Souls
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-10-20
Packaged: 2018-02-10 23:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2044563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoebmonster/pseuds/Phoebmonster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Do you ever accidentally befriend someone kind of annoying?</p><p>Skye's that person. The only difference is, her soul sits in a box on our kitchen counter. So if a strange girl ever comes up to you in a bar and says she'll pay $1000 if you win a card game, don't say yes. Really, don't.</p><p>This is definitely not a soul mate story, nor a fairytale, but there might just be a happy ending... ( DISCONTINUED ;-; )</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The girl at the bar

**Author's Note:**

> so y'know in superpowered, Skye bets her soul? Well it got me thinking, what if there's a universe where you can bet,sell and trade souls?  
> and then this happened  
> oops

It all started with the girl at the bar.  
Jemma was sat at the bar, half-heartedly drinking a bottle of beer and trying not to be upset that Fitz had just texted her to say he couldn't make it. He did have a valid excuse - it's not every day the district manager comes in to see the new ray gun you've been developing, but Jemma still felt she had the right to be a little annoyed. She sat there in the dingy light of the bar, and kept glancing over to the girl on the other side.  
The girl couldn't be more than 22, and had short hair which was dyed a pretty shade of lilac. One side was pinned back and she was wearing a black strapless dress. She also had a silver nose stud and a lip piercing. Jemma wasn't entirely sure if she liked a certain type of girls, but this girl was definitely that type. Too bad she was talking to some bald middle aged man. The girl twirled a lock of hair around her finger, giggling, and Jemma sighed. She was flirting with him. Flirting with the bald man who looked like he'd been stretched out and left to dry, with his scatty moustache and neck tattoo. Jemma looked down at the pale blouse and the black skinny jeans she was wearing, and decided she was definitely more attractive than baldy.   
She was almost finished with her drink when she looked back up at the girl. Baldy had his hand on her shoulder, and she tried to shrug him off but he gripped tighter. The girl appeared to say something, but Baldy just grabbed her other arm instead. Jemma stood up and started to walk over but her path was blocked by the sudden appearance of another girl.  
"Hey there. I was wondering, are you any good at cards?"  
"What?" Jemma said incredulously.  
"Because if you are, I really need you to help me. I'll give you $1000."  
Jemma was about to push passed her, when the girl grabbed her arm and looked at her, eyes wide.  
"Please. Please help me." The girl took a glance at Baldy, who had thankfully removed his hands and was now glaring at them.  
"Is it to do with that bald guy? The one with the moustache and classy neck tattoo?"  
The girl nodded.   
"Yeah. I need to win something back in a game of cards, only he'll never play me, so..."  
Jemma nodded. "Okay. I'll do it. I'm Jemma, Jemma Simmons."  
The girl breathed a sigh of relief and grinned. "Oh thank you so much. I'm Skye. I'll just go ... yeah."  
In what felt like a heartbeat, Jemma was sat on a chair in front of Baldy, with his various tough looking friends behind him. There was a stack of cards and a cracked, but ornate box on the table between them. Jemma seriously hoped her drinking hadn't dampened her mathematical ability. Right, what’s 23 x 56?  
1,288 she though immediately. Good, no damage there then. Her thoughts were interrupted by Baldy's gruff voice.  
"So, you think you can beat me at cards?"  
Jemma almost rolled her eyes. The tough guy act was almost embarrassing.   
"I believe so."  
"Skye here tells me you want to bet souls."  
"Pardon?!?"  
"If you win, you get her soul. If I win, I get your soul."  
Jemma was up out of her chair immediately. She'd heard about soul trading, but it seemed a thing for criminals and drug dealers not for top scientists like Jemma Simmons. She had never even had so much as a parking ticket, thank you very much.  
Jemma was at the door when she felt someone touching her arm.  
"Jemma, wait..."  
Jemma whirled round to see Skye, biting her lip nervously.  
"You never told me it was your soul! I thought we were playing for money."  
"I know, that was shitty, but please. Please help me."  
Jemma stopped putting on her jacket and looked at Skye closely. She was very pretty, her dark brown hair loosely braided over one shoulder. She wore a dark grey tank top with a blue plaid shirt and ripped skinny jeans. From the line of her collar, Jemma could see faint bruises tainting the honey coloured skin along her neck and shoulders. Jemma nearly gasped, for someone who could do long multiplication in her head it sure took her a long time to put two and two together.  
"If he has your soul ... does it mean you can't say no?" Jemma asked quietly. Skye shrugged, looking at the floor.  
"It ... it's never come to that. But I don't know, after what he's been like tonight..."  
"I'll do it."  
"What?"  
"I'll play the card game. Win your soul back."  
Skye's face broke into a wide grin.   
"Oh thank you so much. I promise I'll pay you $1000 afterwards. Thank you."  
"If this goes south, I will be extremely ticked off..." muttered Jemma as she headed back towards the table.  
Most people think cards is a game of chance, but Jemma knows it's just a game of probability. Almost infinite probabilities, she would concede, but Jemma Simmons had just completed her second PhD at the tender age of 23. She wasn't exactly a slave to probability. Maths wasn't her best subject, but she would bet anything it wasn't the strongest subject for Baldy either.  
They sat and played in silence. Baldy had a large gaggle of men behind him, muttering in approval or frustration. Jemma just had Skye behind her, and some interested bar patrons who were peering at them from their stools.  
"Prepare to lose your soul, little girl." said Baldy, as he lay down his cards, the 8, 9, and 10 from the spades. "27."  
Jemma was so close to rolling her eyes, but instead she smirked and lay down her cards. The whole group gasped.  
"King, Queen, Jack, spades. That’s 30. Hand it over."  
The bar erupted, cheers from the patrons supporting Jemma, and yells of frustration from the lackeys. It appeared many people were also betting on the outcome of the game, as large sums of money were being passed around. Baldy stood up, looking furious, so Jemma grabbed the ornate box and quickly left the bar. She was outside, clutching the box to her chest when she let out a shaky laugh. Skye suddenly appeared in front of her, beaming from ear to ear. She threw her arms around her and Jemma could smell the alcohol and cigarette smoke on her skin, but hugged back anyway.  
"Jemma Simmons, you are my hero." said Skye breathlessly, breaking the hug.  
"Oh, it's really just a game of probability... it's quite simple really. So do you want this back?"  
Jemma held up the box and Skye shook her head.  
"I think we have to sign some paperwork before I can have it back. We could do it in the morning."  
They started to walk back down the street when Jemma realised.   
"Oh, do you want to stay at my place tonight?" Skye's confused face prompted Jemma to continue. "Well... I just thought... Baldy must know where you live, and I'm guessing to see him right now wouldn't be top of your priorities... so I thought..." Jemma trailed off as Skye still looked confused.  
"That would be ... really nice. Thank you." She said, almost reverently, and Jemma wondered when the last time was that someone had actually been nice to Skye. If the bruises in her collarbone were any indication ... it didn't bear thinking about.   
They walked in silence back to Jemma's apartment.  
"It's not exactly tidy but... well I wasn't expecting guests." Jemma said apologetically before turning her key in the lock and opening the door.  
Skye peered in as Jemma switched on the lights. The apartment was small, but cosy, with a small blue sofa in the centre of the room and bookshelves all along the walls. The kitchen was a little off to the side, all white cabinets and dark marble worktops. There were a few dishes piled in the sink, and what appeared to be the remnants of a science experiment on the kitchen table.  
"Oh I'm so sorry! I was trying to obtain nitrogen by distilling air then liquefying it ..." Skye looked confused as Jemma rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "You see, they'd run out of my favourite cereal so I bought regular cereal and was trying to flash freeze banana to put on top but it really didn't work and I flash froze the spoon..."   
Skye stifled a giggle and was trying to compose herself to reply when there was a loud bang from the direction of the bedroom. The two girls froze.  
"Oh crumbs, that keeps happening..." Came a faint voice and Jemma squeaked in surprise. Skye grabbed a pan from the side and Jemma picked up the can of liquid nitrogen.   
"Who's there?" said Jemma cautiously.  
"Whoa, hold up. It's just me."  
A small squat man emerged from the bedroom. His skin was a pale grey and his eyes were completely white, like milk dropped in water. His hair was short and dark and he wore a cheap suit with a black tie. Where his feet should have been, there was just a haze, like static on an old TV.  
Skye groaned. "Eric! You could have warned me..."  
Jemma lowered the can but didn't put it down.  
"What's happening? Who are you?" she said with a squeak.  
"Eric Koenig, Soul collection and administration, level 3. Nice to meet you."  
He stuck out his hand and Jemma shook it dubiously.  
"He's my case agent." said Skye, rolling her eyes.  
"Yup, and you don't make my life easy. This is your - fourth, is it? Fourth soul swap in the last two years. So, anything different this time, or a straight up soul ownership transfer?"  
"Err, actually, I don't want her soul, I'd like to give it back." Jemma set down the canister and Eric sighed.  
"Well, that's a first. This should be simple, but with the administration process, and the paperwork... Oh, and you also have to wait a year."  
"What?" said Jemma and Skye at the same time. Eric nodded.  
"Yep, afraid so. Both members, the soulless and the soul owner have to wait exactly 364 days before the soul can be returned to the soulless."  
"You did not mention this." Jemma turned on Skye and Skye groaned.  
"I didn't know! I haven't exactly done this before."  
"You haven't been with someone long enough for me to mention it either. Well, here's the terms and conditions. I'll collect the paperwork tomorrow. Skye knows where to sign."  
Eric placed a huge book on the coffee table, which was browned and yellowed with age. He then clicked his fingers and the static from his feet floated up to encompass his whole body, then he was gone.  
Jemma sat heavily on the sofa, and patted the seat next to her so Skye sat down as well.  
"I'm sorry about this." Skye said, and Jemma was surprised to see she looked almost guilty.  
"It's not your fault, don't worry about it."  
They sat in silence for a minute before Jemma turned to face Skye.  
"So, how does this whole soulless thing work then? What does it entail?"  
"Well ... I have to be quite close to you, like within 50 feet of you at all times, or I get like" - Skye gestured to her chest - "pains, here. It gets worse the further we're apart."  
Jemma nodded, and suppressed the overwhelming desire to take notes.   
"So we can't be separated."  
"Not for long, no."  
"For a whole year."  
"Yeah..."  
Jemma contemplated this and sighed.  
"Is there anything else?"  
"I can also do other things, like phasing in and out of things. Like - hang on a sec..."  
Skye got up and opened the door into Jemma's apartment, and let it lock behind her. Jemma got up to open it again, when Skye's hand popped through the door. Through the middle, through solid wood. Jemma gasped and stepped backwards. The hand was translucent and shimmering slightly, but Skye wiggled her fingers, and then stepped through the door entirely. She grinned at the look of shock on Jemma's face.  
"Freaky, huh?"  
Jemma grinned. "Oh no, it's brilliant! There are some theories going around, that our souls anchor us to this plane of reality, and without our souls, we can move through dimensions. You're essentially transporting yourself across thousands of dimensions until you find one where that door doesn't exist, then travelling all the way back to appear on the other side, all within a matter of seconds. It's amazing, it really is."  
Jemma realised she was rambling and blushed.  
"Sorry, you probably already knew that..."  
"Nah, it sounds way more impressive when you put it like that. Do you work at one of those soul research centre things then?"  
Jemma moved to sit back on the sofa and shook her head.  
"I work over at the SHIELD labs, the one at the end of town. It's government contracts mainly."  
"What, like weapons?"  
"I can't exactly say, it's all pretty classified. I know what I'm working on, and that's pretty much it."  
Skye nodded solemnly.  
"Wow, that's ... ominous. It's the big glass building, isn't it? I could park my van out there, when you're at work."  
"Oh, but won't you be terribly bored? I work pretty late some days."  
Skye smiled at the look of concern on Jemma's face.  
"I'll be fine. I live in my van anyway, so I'll just be on my laptop all day."   
If Jemma was shocked that Skye lived out of a van, she didn't show it, and Skye was grateful.   
"We better get started on this paperwork then."  
Jemma moved onto the floor by the coffee table and pulled out the wad of paper tucked into the front of the book.  
"You just have to sign here, where it says" - Skye yawned loudly - "soul owner."  
Jemma got a pen from her back pocket and started to read. After about five minutes, she looked up and saw Skye with her head against the arm of the sofa, dozing off.  
"You can go to bed if you want. I don't mind."  
Skye blinked a few times before focusing on Jemma.  
"I'm not tired."  
Jemma raised an eyebrow and Skye yawned again.  
"Fine, I'm a bit tired. I'll just sleep here then..."  
"What? No! I've got a guest bedroom; I'll just get the sheets from the airing cupboard."  
Skye stood up and Jemma pressed the warm sheets into her arms.  
"Mmmm... they're so warm. G'night, Jemma."  
"It's that door there. Goodnight, Skye."  
///  
After Jemma had read and signed the last page, she stood up, stretched, and looked at the clock.  
3:25 am  
Jemma thanked a deity that tomorrow was Saturday, so she could sleep this off. She walked over to the guest bedroom to shut the door, but stopped at what she saw.  
The light from the living room was spilling through the open door and illuminating the bed. Skye had unlaced her Doc Martins and they were placed neatly at the end of the bed and it occurred to Jemma she hadn't offered Skye any pyjamas, but Skye did look very comfortable curled up on the bed. She hadn't gotten very far with making the bed, and was instead bundled up with the sheet and the duvet cover, using the actual duvet as a pillow. It looked so peaceful, and so utterly domestic, Jemma smiled indulgently, before looking away. She'd known the girl less than 12 hours for goodness sake, and she was getting all sappy.  
Jemma shut the door and turned off the light. She could deal with this in the morning.


	2. Don't be a dick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "This is just like that kitten you rescued from the sewer back at the academy. You can't stop bring strays back, however much they need your help."

Jemma woke up slowly the next morning, yawning as the light from her window hit the pillow. He head felt all foggy, and it took Jemma a while to remember what she'd done last night.  
After quickly changing into a pair of jeans and a tank top, Jemma poked her head around the guest bedroom door. Skye was still fast asleep. Suddenly, the front door opened.  
"Hey, Jem, sorry about last night, you'll never guess..." Fitz was cut off when Jemma pushed him back out of her apartment and into the corridor.  
"Woah there Jemma. What's up with you?"  
Jemma realised she had practically pinned Fitz against the door to his own apartment. She let him go and turned around to shut her door.  
"You shouldn't ... barge in like that; I've got someone sleeping in there."  
Fitz raised his eyebrows.  
"You brought a girl home? Good for you! I won't keep you then..."  
Jemma hit him on the arm and ran a hand through her hair.  
"No, Fitz! It isn't like that..."  
Ten minutes later, they were sat on Fitz' sofa, drinking tea.  
"So you're saying you've got a girl tagging around with you for an entire year? Jemma, what the hell!?"  
Jemma sighed and Fitz just glared at her. "Well, what was I supposed to do, leave her there? They were hurting her, Fitz; I can't stand idly by and do nothing."  
"This is just like that kitten you rescued from the sewer back at the academy. You can't stop bring strays back, however much they need your help."  
"She's not a stray!" Jemma could feel herself getting angrier with each word.  
"Skye is a nice person, she just needed some help."  
"Oh come on, Jem, you've known her for what? 12 hours, at best? Now you're saying you can't be more than fifty feet apart."  
Jemma was beginning to realise what a huge decision she'd made, but was determined not to give Fitz the satisfaction of being proved right.  
"She's got a van; she's going to live out of that. I'm not exactly an unpredictable person, I only ever go to one of three places - my apartment, work and the shops. Skye won't get under my feet."  
"Yes, but for a whole year, Jem! What if you meet someone, what if you get a new job? You can't have this girl following you around like a lost dog."  
Jemma decided enough was enough. She slammed her mug down on the coffee table and left Fitz's apartment before pushing her door open and slamming it shut behind her. Skye was stood in the middle of the living room, looking very out of place and awkward.  
"Sorry, Fitz was being an ass. Do you want a cup of tea?"  
Skye nodded and followed Jemma into the kitchen.  
"And Fitz is your ... boyfriend?" she said hesitantly.  
Jemma laughed as she filled the kettle.  
"No way, we're just friends. He lives in the apartment opposite, we're always popping in and out."  
"Ah, okay."  
They stood in silence as Jemma made the tea and handed a mug to Skye. She took a sip, and then wrinkled her nose.  
"Oh, do you take sugar? It's just that me and Fitz don't, and I always forget to ask."  
"No, it's fine, don't worry."  
Jemma raised her eyebrow as Skye took another sip and grimaced.  
"Actually, now that you mention it..."  
Jemma dug the sugar out of the back of the cupboard, handing it to Skye who spooned it into her tea with gusto.  
"You don't actually like tea, do you?"  
Skye took another sip and shook her head, wrinkling her nose again.  
"Not really, but I thought it rude to refuse..."  
This made Jemma laugh, but she was interrupted when the door to her apartment opened.  
"Simmons? I'm sorry about earli- oh."  
Fitz dropped his keys onto the table with a clatter. Skye stepped back, clearly unsure about what to do.  
"Skye, this is Fitz, my friend. Fitz, this is Skye." said Jemma cordially.  
It was clear to Skye that Fitz already knew who she was, as he looked her up and down like a lab specimen.  
"Umm, well, it's nice to meet you, Fitz."  
Skye said, rocking on her heels slightly.  
Fitz sniffed and muttered a barely audible 'nice to meet you too.' Jemma sighed.  
"C'mon, Skye, let's go get your van. Leo, I want you gone before I get back."  
"I told you not to call me that! I'm not five!"   
"Really? I'm not wearing any socks..."  
Skye and Fitz spoke at the same time, before glaring at each other.  
Jemma groaned before pulling Skye out of the door, grabbing her jacket on the way out.  
They were halfway down the stairs before Skye spoke.  
"Man, he really doesn't like me, does he?"  
"He just thinks I'm being a bit ... irresponsible. He'll come round though. Did you sign all the paperwork?"  
Skye nodded. "Yep, everything I need to. Eric will pop in later and collect it. I hope Fitz isn't there, it'll shock him half to death. What did you call him? Leo?"  
They stepped out into the mid-summer morning, all bright sun and breeze, and Jemma giggled.  
"Yeah, Fitz is actually his surname. The only people who call him Leopold are his grandma and the old lady who works on the reception desk."  
"Leopold? Wow. I thought my name was dorky."  
They turned the corner and crossed over at the lights as Jemma pulled on her jacket.  
"Skye? It's not dorky, it's quite beautiful."  
Jemma blushed when she realised what she'd said but Skye just laughed.  
"Oh no, I meant the name they gave me at the orphanage - Mary Sue Poots."  
"Well, Skye is certainly an improvement on that."  
Skye was surprised - most people would have questioned the whole orphanage thing, but Jemma seemed unfazed.   
"Up here, is it?"  
"Yeah, just round here."  
They walked in silence for a bit, but soon they were only a few streets away from the bar they'd met at the previous night.   
"It should be - shit. Oh shit."  
Skye ran forward to a space in the street which was now only occupied by a black plastic bag.   
"I can't believe he stole my van! ASSHOLE!" Skye yelled at no one in particular, kicking the curb with her boots.  
"What, Baldy took your van?"  
"He did pay $2000 dollars for me; I guess he wanted some compensation."  
Skye had stopped yelling, and sat down heavily on the curb, burying her head in her arms. Jemma looked in the bag.  
"There's some clothes in here. I guess he didn't want those."  
They sat next to each other and Jemma wondered if she should say something. Eventually, Skye lifted her head.  
"I don't have $1000 to pay you. I lied, I'm sorry."  
Jemma shrugged.  
"I figured as much. If you had that sort of money, you probably wouldn't have been there in the first place."  
"Then why did you say yes?"  
Skye rested her chin on her hands and looked at Jemma expectantly, but she just shrugged again.  
"Did you lose anything important? Apart from your van, I mean."  
"Oh yeah my laptop! Hang on a sec..."  
Skye pulled out her phone and began typing furiously. When she was finished, she looked up and grinned.  
"Hah. Enjoy prison, asshole."  
Jemma looked confused so Skye quickly clarified.  
"Oh, I have a backup programme which wipes all trace of me from my laptop, then notifies the police of its location, meaning he'll get found with a load of illegal shit on his laptop. It's quite clever, I designed it myself."  
Skye trailed off when she realised what she'd said, and cringed at the look on Jemma's face.  
"Oh. Yeah. Forgot to mention the hacking. Sorry."  
Jemma stayed silent.  
"I've never even got a parking ticket before. I can't be involved in your ... bad girl shenanigans!"  
Skye was taken aback by the choice of phrasing but Jemma didn't notice.  
"I'd rather you didn't do any of this -" she waved her hands frantically - "illegal hacking when you live with me. I could be sent to prison!"  
"Wait, what?"   
Skye was very confused, and Jemma realised she hadn't spoken any of her previous thoughts out loud. Her brain normally skipped a few steps.  
Jemma backtracked.  
"Well, without your van, you have nowhere else to stay. And I have a spare room - and I've been looking for a roommate."  
"But ... I don't have a job; I've got nothing to pay you with. I can't Jemma, I wouldn't do that..."  
"Oh don't be silly. You can get a job... or something. I'm sure we'll figure it out. Point is, I won't have you living on the street when I have a perfectly good spare room."  
Jemma had just finished speaking when Skye was suddenly wrapping her in a tight hug. Jemma patted her back awkwardly but smiled. Skye gave really good hugs.  
"Thank you, Jemma, seriously... this is so amazing. You're amazing."  
Jemma blushed.  
"Oh it's nothing, really. Do you want to go get coffee? If we're going to be living together, we might as well learn a little more about each other."  
Skye grinned and picked up the plastic bag.   
"That would be lovely."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so yeah i realised i hadn't updated this in a while  
> oops  
> but skimmons week is coming up (writing for a deadline??? help???) and i'm also going back to school soon so i thought i better update before i forget forever  
> so yeah thanks for reading!


	3. That time with the sea monkeys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Oh Fitz not those bloody sea monkeys again!"

"It just feels so...normal. Like she's always been here." 

Jemma was sat on the stairs, curling her hair round her finger as she spoke to her parents on the phone. She'd been living with Skye for two weeks now, but Jemma told her parents that Skye was just a friend who needed a place to stay. It wasn't exactly a lie (Jemma couldn't lie to save her life, especially not to her mum.)

"Hmm? What do you do then?" Her mother said distractedly. She was probably cooking dinner.

"We just watch films and play board games. I'm helping her find a job, but no luck yet."

"I hope she's pulling her weight. You can't afford to keep putting up your friends like this."

"Oh, it's fine. She's cleaned the apartment like five times now anyway."

"Well, if she's getting a job soon... I still don't see why you didn't move in with Fitz. He's such a lovely boy. How is he?"

Jemma rolled her eyes. She couldn't speak to her family for more than five minutes without them bringing up Fitz.

"He's fine. He's just..." Jemma gasped as pain blossomed through her chest, like someone had scratched a knife across her heart.

"Jemma? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, Mum, I'm fine, but I gotta go - call you later."

Jemma hung up (she was going to get an earful for that next time she rang) and stood up, stumbling towards her apartment.

"Skye? Are you alright?"

Skye was standing on a chair in the middle of the living room, her hand poised underneath the light bulb socket. The lightbulb itself was smashed on the floor, with several pieces of glass sticking out of her hand. There was already blood dripping from her fingers and pooling on her palm and Skye was breathing quickly and staring at her hand in disbelief.

"Oh god, Skye! We've got to get you to hospital!"

"Wait, no! They won't treat me. I don't have insurance and I'm souless. Please ... can you do something?" Skye said quickly, swallowing back tears. Jemma nodded and stepped forwards to help Skye off the chair and into the bathroom. Skye was opening crying now, whimpering when she sat on the lid of the toilet. Jemma grabbed the first aid kit from the top of the cabinet.

"It's a good thing I'm a doctor." She mumbled, pulling out tweezers and bandages.

"A what? You're a doctor? I thought you were a scientist... fuck this hurts!" Skye bit her lip as Jemma examined her hand.

"Oh yeah, I've got two. One's in biology, so I think I know what I'm doing."

"That's reassuring - ow! Fuck!" Jemma pulled the shard out quickly and dropped it in the bin. She used her free hand to squeeze Skye's unharmed one.

"It's okay, I've just got to get these out quickly. What the hell were you doing anyway? I was going to get Fitz to get that."

"I just feel so - ow! - useless all the time! You've been so nice, and I'm just here - taking up space."

Jemma scoured Skye's hand for any tiny pieces of glass, picking them out until Skye's hand was covered in blood.

"I'll just clean this up, then I'll bandage you up. Are you allergic to anything?"

Skye shook her head, squeezing her eyes tight shut at Jemma wiped her hand to clean off the blood. She also rubbed some antibacterial gel over the cuts, before wrapping it all up in bandages. Skye had stopped crying, but whimpered occasionally as Jemma's hand connected with a cut.

"There. All better. I'll get you some pain meds and a glass of water." Jemma stood up, still with Skye's hand in her own, before leaning down to kiss the bandaged knuckles. Skye opened her mouth in confusion and Jemma blushed, realising what she'd done.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's just I had little cousins and every time they'd hurt themselves, I'd patch them up ... It's just habit."

"It's cute." Skye said, and the two girls stood awkwardly, neither one wanting to break the silence.

Jemma almost jumped out of her skin when there was a knock on the door.

"It's only me, I just went to the shops... christ, what happened? Why's there loads of glass?"

"It was Skye." Jemma said, poking her head around the door to see a very confused Fitz milling in the doorway.

Skye stood up and waved her hand out. "Yeah, my bad."

Jemma picked her way over the floor, avoiding the glass, and started to dig in the cupboards for some medication. Fitz pulled the dust pan and brush from under the sink and started to sweep, the groceries lying forgotten on the table.

"Oh, we don't have anything. You'll have some painkillers, won't you Fitz?"

"Yeah I'll just go ..." Fitz started, but Jemma was already out of the apartment, muttering about keeping a better stocked cupboard. Skye flopped down on the sofa and Fitz tipped the glass into the bin. The door shut behind Jemma and Fitz hovered awkwardly in the kitchen.

"You didn't have to try yourself, y'know, I would've done it for you."

"You would have done it for Jemma, you mean." Skye said, almost petulantly. 

After the first meeting, her and Fitz hadn't talked much, despite the fact they both spent most if their time in Jemma's apartment. Skye had to trail around with Jemma, even waiting outside her office when she worked. Although he never said anything, Skye had noticed that Fitz seemed to resent her presence.

"For both of you. I know I wasn't exactly keen in the beginning, but Jemma's a lot happier now ..." said Fitz, not making eye contact.

"Look, is there something going on between you and Jemma?"

"No - it's not like that..." he said, moving to sit next to her on the sofa.

"Would you like there to be?"

"That really isn't going to happen. She's like my sister, we've known each other that long."

Skye released a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. Weird. "Really?"

"Really really. I was just trying to look out for her, but you're nice - and I know it'd mean the world to her if we got along."

"As long as you promise to tell me embarrassing childhood stories."

"Done."

 

When Jemma opened the door 10 minutes later, she found the pair laughing their heads of on the sofa.

"Hey, what's up? I bought ice-cream too."

Skye just looked up and started laughing harder. Fitz grinned.

"Oh, I was just telling Skye about when you went through that marine biology phase..."

"Oh Fitz not those bloody sea monkeys again!" Jemma dropped the bag and folded her arms.

"I can't believe this. You didn't even last a day!" Skye said through fits of giggles.

"It wasn't my fault. They ate each other. I couldn't accommodate a cannibal, so I flushed it down the toilet."

"She didn't tell her parents for months. They just thought they were really, really small." Fitz said, making Skye laugh harder. Jemma sighed and went into the kitchen to poor Skye a glass of water and scooped the ice cream into three bowls.

"Here." 

Skye swallowed the pills with the water, but Fitz looked at his bowl and back at Skye's.

"Hey, this isn't fair. She's got like, twice as much. And this is my ice cream!"

"Maybe that will teach you not to share stories when I'm not there. Also Skye is injured, and therefore qualifies for a greater share."

Skye nodded, the bowl balanced precariously on her lap as she ate clumsily with her none injured hand. Fitz groaned, but ate anyway.

///

The next day, Fitz had forced them to leave the house and buy more ice - cream, mainly because Skye had said that ice-cream was her ultimate favourite food, and her and Jemma had finished the tub when their friend had gone home.

They were walking up past the SHIELD labs, so Jemma could pick up some files on their most recent experiment, when Skye stopped short outside a café. "Wait is that... it is! Ward! Hey!" Skye started to wave at the window and Jemma hung back. A man behind the counter did a double take and waved back, pulling the towel from over his shoulder and dropping it on the side. He jumped over the barrier and walked up to the door, flipping the sign from 'closed' to 'open'. Jemma noticed he was extraordinarily attractive, with dark hair and cheekbones that looked like they could cut glass. As he fumbled with the keys, Skye was jumping up and down, evidently pleased to see him. As the door swung open, she jumped into his arms.

"Skye! I'm so glad ... why are you here? Last I heard you were..." He trailed off and disentangled himself from Skye's bear hug. 

"Yeah, it's complicated. But I'm staying with Jemma now. Oh, Jemma -" Skye turned to face her "- this is Ward, he's like my brother. We were in care together for years."

Jemma shook Ward's outstretched hand and smiled politely.

"So what's with all this then?" Skye gestured to Ward's apron and the café. "I thought you wanted to be in the army or something."

"I was ... wasn't really my thing. I own this place, but we're a bit understaffed at the moment, it's a nightmare."

Skye looked like she was about to reply but then suddenly remembered Jemma was there.

"Oh! We better get going, me and Jemma need to get some files before this ice cream melts. I'll give you my number -" Skye pulled his phone out of his pocket and added herself as a contact "- and you should call."

"I will. Nice to see you again, short stuff." 

Ward gave Skye another enveloping hug and waved goodbye to Jemma as they started to walk back down towards the labs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skye + ice-cream could be the secondary otp here srsly
> 
> Also i kno this chapter is kind of lame??? and kind of late???? it's a filler tbh
> 
> more fun things coming up don't u worry
> 
> I've also published a floor plan for their apartment on tumblr, plus some other chapter doodles ayy u better go follow me on there

**Author's Note:**

> The card game they were playing is a very butchered version of Gin Rummy, which is apparently played when betting for high prices. Idk really, I legit learnt about it like 10 minutes ago.
> 
> After that, you can look forward to more of this! I've drawn so much for this already, so if u follow me on tumblr there should be a few doodles per chapter.
> 
> Finally, u guys are the best. Srsly my skimminions kick ass i love u all


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